Guard for automobiles



April 14, 1925. 1,533,214

5. SMITH GUARD FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 19, 1924 a k'jiggz g I II L IIIIM 9, rod 18 comprising a substantially straight Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

PATE

NT OFFICE.

SHEFFIELD SMITH, OF NORTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

GUARD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed December 19, 1924. Serial No. 756,928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHEFFIELD SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guards for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to side guards for automobiles adapted primarily for the protection of the wheels and fenders.

The essential objects of my invention are to'guard the wheel and fender from blows from every direction; to effectively prevent anyresultant shock upon the automobile; and to attain these ends in an inexpensive structure free from any points, angles or projections, and readily attachable to an automobile, as well as capable of affording accessibility to the wheel when desired.

Tothe above ends essentially, but not exolusively, my invention consists in such parts and in such combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle- Figure 1 is a front elevation applied to an automobile,

Figure 2, a fragmentary plant view of the same, t

Figure 3, a perspective view of one of the guard supports, and

Figure 4, a fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Figure 2. K

of my device Like reference characters indicated like parts throughout the views.

In the drawings 8 represents the rear portion of an automobile of any usual or preferred construction including the body 9, the rear .wheels 11, the fenders 12, and the chassis including such chassis parts as the spring support 14 and the running board 15. In conjunction with these famil- J iar parts the use of my device is herein illustrated. v l

My guard consists of' a flat resilient metal 19 horizontally disposed adjacent the rear wheel axle and fender, also an inwardly directed horizontally disposed forward portion 20 having a forwardly directed extremity 21 provided with a hole 22 adapted to receive an attaching member. Integral ,with the intermediate portion of the guard,

at its rear end, is an inwardly directed arched portion 23 enclosing the rear of the 0 wheel and fender. The portions 19, 20, 21, and 23 constitute the body of the guard and form an integral unit of a somewhat resilient character. The material of the rod at the inner end of the arched portion, 23 is formed into a r'earwardly directed, horizontalcircular or semi-open loop 24, with a straight resilient arm '25 extending outwardly therefrom, at whose free end the material of the rod is bent into an open 70. loop 26, forming an inwardly. directed fin ger 27 extending between the arm 25 and the arched portion 23, provided in this instance intermediate its length with a bend 28 directed towards the arm 25. The bent finger 27 is adjacent to but spaced from the arched portion 23.

The rear end of the guard may be retained in position by a pin 30 fixed to or carried by the chassis and embraced by the so loop 24. In this instance the attaching means includes a vertical attaching or clamping plate 31 provided on its rear face with a diagonally disposed channel 32 adapted to receive the outer side of the chassis portion 14, and is perforated at its top and bottom to receive the bolts 35 and 36 extending transversely of the top and bottom of the member 14 and passing through perforations 37 in. a clamping plate 39 retained against the inner face of the member 14 by nuts 40. Integral with the outer face of the plate 31 are parallel horizontal lateral lugs or plates 43 spaced from each other and connected at their forward lateral edges by a .wall or abutment 44. The pin 30 is fixed in the lugs 43 adjacent the abutment 44. In Figure 3 the described attaching means is shown in full lines, and fragments of the members 14 and 1 00 of 23, 24, and 25 are shown in broken lines. The forward end of the guard 18 may be and nuts 49. Upon attached to the running board 15 in any convenient manner. In the present instance a plate 46 is fixed to the board by bolts 48 the end of the plate is a bent arm 52 provided with a threaded end 53 and an intermediate annular shoulder 54.

I v Ihe arm passes loosely through the perforation 22 and the portion 21 of the guard is clamped against the shoulder 54 by a nut 55 on the threaded end of the arm.

Access to the wheel is effected when dethe blow is more powerful the latter is .lowing claims brought into contact with the finger 27 and is cushioned thereby, and by the arm 25. It will be noted further that if this blow is very powerful the arm 25 will contact with the abutment 44 thereby relatively ad vancing the arm toward the arch and thereby increasing the mutual resistance of all the spring elements.

The integral unbroken. and curved character of the guard tends to divert an object contacting therewith.

@ther modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the construction herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the folor the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I claim 1. In combination with the chassis, wheel, and fender, of an automobile, a side guard comprising in one integral resilient structure an intermediate portion extending outside the wheel and fender, an inwardly directed forward portion detachably engaging the chassis at a point forward of the wheel and fender, and an inwardly directed arched portion .pivotally secured to the chassis in the rear of the wheel and fender.

2. In combination with the chassis, wheel, and fender of an automobile, a pin supported by the chassis in the rear of the wheel and fender, a guard attached at one end to the chassis forwardly of the wheel and fender and comprising a resilient arched portion provided with an end loop embracing the m, and resilient cushioning means carried y the loop extending into the arched portion to cooperate with the guard. 3. combination with the chassis, wheel, and tender of an automobile, a pin carried neeaaia by the chassis 'in the rear of the wheel and fender, a guard connected at one end with the chassis and extending transversely across; the wheel including an inwardly directed arched portion, a loop'upon the inner end of the arched portion embracing the pin, and an auxiliary spring arm upon the loop in the plane of the guard.

4. In combination with the chassis, wheel, and fender of an automobile, a pin carried by the chassis in the rear of the wheel and fender, a guard connected at one end'with the chassis and extending transversely across.

the wheel including an inwardly directed arched portion, a loop upon the inner end of the arched portion embracing the pin, an auxiliary spring arm upon the loop in the plane of the guard, and a loop upon the end of the arm adjacent the guard.

5. In combination with the chassis, wheel, and fender of an automobile, a pin carrie by the chassis in the rear of the wheel and fender, a guard attached to the chassis forwardly of the wheel and fender and extending transversely outside the wheel and in cluding an inwardly directed arched portion, a loop upon the inner end of the arched portion engaging the pin, an outwardly directed resilient arm upon the loop, a loop upon the end of the arm, and an inwardly directed finger upon the second loop adjacent the arched portion of the guard.

6. In combination with the chassis, wheel and fender of an automobile, a pin carried by the chassis in the rear of the wheel and fender, a guard disposed outside the tender and transversely thereof attached at its forward end to the chassis and including an arched portion enclosing der, a loop upon the inner end of the arched portion engaging the pin, an outwardly directed finger upon the loop, a loop upon the free end of the arm adjacent the guard, and an inwardly directed finger upon the second loop provided with an intermediate bend and disposed in adjacent the arched portion. 7. In combination with the chassis,

comprising an intermediate portion extend ing longitudinally of the wheel and fender, an inwardly directed forward portion attached to the chassis forwardly of the wheel and fender, and an inwardly directed arched portion enclosing the rear of the wheel and fender. attached to'the chassis, an outwardly the plane of the guard and the wheel and fenwheel, I and fender of an automobile, a side guard,

directed resilient arm supported by the chassis at the point of attachment of the arched portion, a loop on the arm adjacent the intermediate portlon of the guard, and a on the loop adjacent the arched portion 0 the guard.

.8. In combination with the chassis,,whecl, and fender of an automobile, a side guard comprising an intermediate portion outside the wheel, a forward portion engaging the chassis forwardly of the wheel, and an arched portion enclosing the rear of the 5 wheel and fender a supporting member carried by the chassis, ing member, an abutment upon the member a pin upon the supportadjacent the pin, va loop upon the embed portion engaging the pin, and anoutwardly directed arm upon the loop adjacent the 10 abutment.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

SHEFFIELD SMITH. 

